Inside Social Games

Unit 501 seems to come out with a new Flash sports game every week. Maybe they should plan on a longer development cycle.

Football Penalty Shootout, or “Soccer” Penalty Shootout for you Yankees, is a kicking Flash animation game where you try to score goals on a little cartoon goalie. You click twice – first to aim the ball and second to determine its power. Like real shootouts, a lot of the game seems to be based on luck. The goalie picks a direction to dive; you pick a direction to kick. If they’re the same, the ball is blocked. If not, you score.

The game is challenging, but not necessarily fun. Like its home run derby game, Unit 501 makes a half-hearted attempt to create a social game and even less of an attempt to create gameplay depth. I applaud them for creating so many flash animation games, but the one-trick pony that is Football Penalty Shootout will be enjoyed by few Premier league fans or social gamers.

Gameplay: 3

Development: 4

Boredom sets in: Faster than watching American soccer matches.